1200m – Turf
1 | Swindler | A classy speedster who has twice won handicaps over this course and distance on fast ground. Likely to be held up for a late charge. |
2 | Open Wide | Carries his head high and is not the easiest of rides, needing to be delivered late. Encouragingly, he has been placed on his last three Ascot runs. |
3 | Count D’Orsay | A consistent sprinter who again performed up to his best when 3rd of 12 at Newmarket this month. However his wins have all come at around 1000m. |
4 | Magical Wish | Ran some modest races in the latter part of 2019 but back to his best after a break when winning at Lingfield. Has only won once on turf. |
5 | Blue Mist | Has never competed over as short as this with his last win coming over 1600m here back in 2018. Perhaps sprinting will prove to be his thing. |
6 | Chiefofchiefs | His five career wins have come over notably further, so he might not have the speed for this. Well beaten at Meydan last time. |
7 | Vintage Brut | Has yet to develop into the top class sprinter that connections hoped for, his handicap rating sinking accordingly. Best on slow ground. |
8 | Louie de Palma | Has plenty of Ascot experience and made all to win a soft-ground handicap over this course and distance in 2019. He rarely runs a bad race. |
9 | Total Commitment | Started favourite but didn’t show much on his only previous run at Ascot. Probably not well handicapped but currently he keeps running really well. |
10 | Aplomb | Very effective at this trip and on slow ground. The surface was quicker than ideal on his recent return at Newmarket but he still shaped nicely. |
11 | Embour | Ridden for the first time by a stylish young jockey who rode a winner here on Tuesday. Embour ran a close 4th at Doncaster last weekend. |
12 | Woven | Consistent with plenty of good efforts at 1200m including at Ascot. A 1400m Meydan winner on his last start, having an advantageous trip then. |
13 | Cosmic Law | Tried in Group race company earlier in his career but wasn’t good enough. Also beaten a long way on his recent 2020 return. |
14 | Hyperfocus | A five-times winner but no success for over a year. He didn’t make much of a splash on his 2020 return this month. |
15 | Flavius Titus | Won a couple of fast-ground Newmarket handicaps over this trip in the earlier part of last year. Faded out of contention on his 2020 return. |
16 | Pass The Vino | A narrow Newmarket winner at long odds on last July’s handicap debut. Has run some decent races off higher ratings since including when 3rd this month. |
17 | Dirty Rascal | Did win a minor event over this trip earlier in his career but racing over further more recently. Will need to be sharp after a 274-day absence. |
18 | Golden Apollo | A powerful finish saw him defeat 23 rivals at Ayr last September, his 5th career win. Not seen since and has to compete off a 5lb higher mark. |
19 | Sir Maximilian | A popular veteran who has won 11 of his 61 starts most recently when giving much younger rivals a drubbing at Chester last year. |
20 | Burmese Waltz | Looked as though she might have improved on her first start for this stable when winning at Kempton last week. Showed courage to hang on there. |
21 | Nahaarr | Having won his first four starts in 2019, he started favourite for a recent Newmarket handicap, fading into 4th after racing a bit too freely. |
22 | Gunmetal | Hasn’t won since 2018 but is slipping to a decent mark and this talented rider was on board when he showed flair to run 3rd at Newmarket. |
23 | Bernardo O’Reilly | The mount of Martin Dwyer who rode a big race winner here on Tuesday. This trip is ideal but slow ground looks required. |
24 | Gabrial The Wire | Likes good or preferably a fast surface. He rallied well for pressure when 3rd at Newcastle. Stays well so a strong pace would help. |